KKI And Unpatti Campaign For Bengkok Midfield Bird Preservation

KKi and Unpatti socialize the preservation of twisted beak birds (Doc. ANTARA)

The Indonesian Kakatua Conservation (KKI) collaborates with the University of Pattimura (Unpatti) Ambon, Maluku to socialize the preservation of twisted beak birds. This initiation was carried out in commemoration of the World Parrot Day or the day of the world's twisted half bird which is celebrated every May 31.

"We are wearing cockatoos costumes, by bringing posters related to information on the sustainability of twisted beak birds at the peace monument to the central world of Ambon City," said KKI Chairman Dudi Nandika in Ambon, Sunday.

A total of 600 posters and flyers containing invitations and education to stop the exploitation of twisted beak birds were distributed to road users.

"We interpret the day of the world's twisted beak bird as a momentum to provide information to the public that the twisted beak bird in Indonesia is still very high in exploitation," he said.

Therefore, he said, his party wanted to inform the public that this twisted half bird is an asset for the community, which if understood, this species could be one of the capital to bring in income for the region.

"Both through ecotourism and other follow-up impacts, especially for communities around forest areas," he said.

Dudi said that conservation efforts need to be carried out in order to provide benefits to people's lives and prohibit the trade of twisted beak birds and cockatoos in Maluku.

He said the high demand for global and domestic birds of the twisted beak as pets resulted in a transfer from the wild for illicit trade, leading to a sharp decline in the number of birds worldwide.

"The hunt and illegal smuggling is the biggest threat to this species," he said.

Indonesia is identified as the country with the highest priority in the conservation of twisted beak birds and cockatoos based on its number of species, endemicity and threats (capture and smuggling).

Twisted beak birds and cockatoos are types that have an important role in maintaining and improving forest regeneration and are part of the ecosystem that must be maintained in balance.

"We hope that this campaign can suppress illegal hunting or selling of twisted-shell birds in order to protect the species," he said.